Thanks again to boxter, you're a real help
SOOOOO SORRY about the delay. Before I was on break and I didn't have much work, but my AP and competition season is April and May, so now it's a little difficult to find time. Expect updates at least bi-weekly, however.
Much love to my readers and reviewers, as well as the members who have my on their favorites and alerts.
October 30, 1968
Dear Cissy,
Are you crazy?! How could you let mother and father find out you're keeping dragons?! You're lucky everybody embraced it, you know, or father could be in big trouble with the Ministry. But, I must say, they did run a rather good article.
Anyways, tomorrow is the Halloween Feast. I was going to wear some dark green dress robes and plait my hair, but I'm not sure. What do you think? Write back before tomorrow night, please!!
Love,
Bella
October 31, 1968
Bella,
See what everyone else is wearing first. Momma always says to be aware of your audience, and you don't want to go wearing silk dress robes if nobody else is. Ask somebody older what they're wearing. The hair sounds nice, though. And if it is a dress robe affair, dark green is not an autumn color; I would choose a chocolate brown.
Cissy
November 3, 1968
Ma Chere Bellatrix,
You have told me much of this upcoming feast, so tell me how it has gone, won't you? Did you look beautiful? Was everyone in awe of you? Don't disappoint me, now. You are my daughter, and I hope you've inherited some of my traits, as we are quite opposite in looks.
I shall send you a little package soon. Just some good-goods from home, and some biscuits. I bought you some new robes, and I made a care package for M. Slughorn, also. Take care, my love. Succeed!
Beaucoup d'Amour,
Maman
November 4, 1968
To the Most Beautiful Girl in the World,
Bella darling, words cannot speak of your beauty and charm and grace. You are a dark angel: absolutely perfect. Your skin is white as fresh cheese, and your hair is as dark as broomstick grease. Please go out with me?
Your Soulmate,
Rodolphus
November blahblah
Rodolphus,
Stop writing me your horrid poetry. It's two in the morning. If you don't cease and desist, I'll hex your bits off.
Bellatrix (The Warrior)
November 7, 1968
Dear Cissy,
I'm sorry for not writing sooner, it just slipped my mind. I asked Alecto Carrow, and she said the feast isn't a dress affair, so I just wore my school robes and plaited my hair. Good advice though, thank you.
Bella
November 8, 1968
Mum,
I didn't get a chance to write, but I did get your package. Professor Slughorn was delighted with the crystallized pineapple, and thank you for the Spanish dark chocolates and your ginger snaps. And, I love the mint casual robes and the pendant. It's all lovely.
The feast was very casual, so no one was really in awe except Rodolphus Lestrange, and he doesn't really count. He's always in awe.
Love,
Bellatrix
November 9, 1968
Ma Chere Bella,
Don't deride the Lestrange boys attentions. He comes from a very good family, if not a bit less wealthy than us, but how many families can equal our fortunes? But, no matter. Just try and keep him under your thumb, alright? For me? Any alliance with a good family is a good alliance. Don't just ruin good favor without a reason.
Beaucoup Bijous,
Maman
November 11, 1968
Mum,
Honestly, you can't be serious. Rodolphus Lestrange is one of the most annoying boys I've met in my entire life, and all you can do is tell me to sit back and take it because he's a Lestrange?! Where's the reason in that? We're Blacks! We have everything the Lestranges have in spades! So yeah, if he annoys me, I AM gonna tell him to bugger off!
Bella
November 13, 1968
My Bella,
Your mother informs me that in your last letter, you showed her a severe lack of respect. Bella, you must learn that your mother only wishes the best for you, and there's no reason for you to talk to her the way you do. I understand that sometimes, the experience of your eleven years says that your mother must be wrong, but trust her thirty-one years enough to give the benefit of the doubt. At some point, you're going to have to learn to listen.
Now, do well in your classes, and please behave. I don't want another floo call from the Headmaster saying you transfigured your pincushion into a mace and tried to maul someone. We'll be sending you some of your favorite gingersnaps soon, but apologize to your mother. Your last response was impertinent and unnecessary.
Cookies to Come,
Father
November 13, 1968
Dear Bella,
I hope school is going well for you. Things are nice at home. Andy's still a freak, and Sirius and I still have great fun with her. Reggy's still shy as always, but now he's learning to read and write. In a few months, he might even write a letter.
Mum and Dad have pretty much accepted the dragon thing. Mum gets really nervous going outside, and she had to put a barrier around her special deer herds, but it's okay. Dad actually really supports it. He's working on securing me a few different eggs, like a Peruvian Vipertooth and a Hungarian Horntail. We're also trying to get a Hebridean egg that's guaranteed to hatch female, but it's very difficult to know the sex before the incubation, let alone the hatching. Daddy doesn't want to talk to Borgin or Burke, because he says they're 'uncouth', whatever that means. I just want my egg.
Anyways, have fun, and write more often! Lucius writes me more than you, honestly!
Cissa
November 14, 1968
Dear Mum,
I'm sorry for being short with you in my last letter, but please realize, I am only eleven, and I'm not thinking about marriage or anything. I don't even like Rodolphus that way. He's really annoying.
Thanks for thinking of me and making gingersnaps. I eat them all day long, for about three days, until I run out. Then I wait until the end of the week so you send more.
School's well. Lucius, Walden, and I are having a lot of fun. Tell Andy I said hello.
Love,
Bella
November 15, 1968
Ma Petite Belle,
It's quite alright. I understand your short temper, and I forgive you. I just wish you'd listen sometimes.
I'm glad to hear that things are going well at school. Everything at home is quite normal. Your sisters still fight, your father still spoils us all, and the house is still lovely. This dragon issue still takes some getting used to. I'm still a little nervous around them, but it seems like a rather nice beast, and Narcissa certainly has it well trained. But, you'll get to see it for yourself when you come home for the winter holidays. In the meantime, enjoy yourself, honey.
Au Revoir,
Maman
November 16, 1968
Dear Cissy,
Sorry I haven't written, but obviously we all can't be as perfect as Lucius Malfoy. Clearly.
Notice the sarcasm? Just checking.
Good to know someone's putting Andy in her place. She really is a freak, honestly. I don't know what's wrong with her.
It's good that Reggy's learning to read and stuff. I mean, he's five already, and now he's looking at a book? Geez, we'd already mastered reading by the time we were his age.
I still can't believe you're breeding dragons. It's so weird. Why couldn't you breed lizards or something? Or dogs? Or deer, like mom? What if I get eaten when I come home for the holidays? Those things are dangerous!
Tell mum I'm working on my Christmas list, and to send pictures of the dress robes I get to choose from for the Winter Gala. And don't pick the same color as me!
Bella
PS- What are you asking for on Christmas?
November 18, 1968
Bella,
Don't pick on Lucius, it's not very nice.
And my dragons would never hurt anybody! They're very good creatures, you know! By the way, at present, I'm incubating a Hungarian Horntail and a Norwegian Ridgeback. They should both be hatched before you come home; isn't it exciting?!
I told mum for you, and she said she'll send the pictures with your weekly gingersnaps. That quite honestly isn't fair, either. I better get a weekly shipment of my favorite biscotti when I go to Hogwarts next year…
Cissa
PS- I won't wear the same color as you as long as you don't wear blue. I'll probably wear blue. What're you thinking of?
PPS- I dunno. Probably some additional acreage for my dragons, a few different robes, and some jewelry.
November 19, 1968
Bel,
Don't talk bad about me to Narcissa. It's rude to gossip, and it's even worse to be jealous. Just because I'm better than you in every conceivable way doesn't mean you can be all nasty.
Mal
November etc…
In your dreams, you stupid prat.
November 23, 1968
My Dearest Bella,
I know how you hate my night-time letters, so I made sure I waited until morning to send this one.
I love you like a flower loves the sun, like the earth loves the sky, like a fish loves the water. You're absolutely magnificent. You're by far my most favorite of God's creatures. I'll love you forever, and without you, I believe I would die.
Love (Please?),
Rodolphus
November 24, 1968
Rod,
You're twelve, you don't even know what love is. Leave me the hell alone or I'll poison you during Potions.
No Love at All,
Bellatrix
November 26, 1968
Cissy,
No, dragons are not exciting, at all. They're horrid. They're stupid beasts, meant to be exterminated and turned into gloves and aprons. Get rid of them!
I've decided on a burnt orange color. Good idea?
Bel
November 28, 1968
Sure, just wait a year to write to me, why don't you? I mean, could you take any longer? Honestly!
I'm not getting rid of my babies, and burnt orange sounds nice, yes. Send me the picture mommy sent you, though, I wanna see what they look like. I can't make a picture just based on the color of the robes, you know. Send them in less than a week preferably.
Cissa
November 30, 1968
Bel,
I got the pictures, and I like the robes, but I'll stick with my preference for brown shoes. Black would just look really weird.
And guess what?! The Horntail hatched! I'm so excited you have no idea!! It's a female, which is great, because that's what I was aiming for. Males are so much easier to hatch, but you really only need one male per three females, otherwise the whole territory issue becomes a very expensive bit. The Norwegian Ridgeback is due in a few days, and I'm hoping for the same kind of result. Wish me luck!
Cissy
December 5, 1968
Dear Bellatrix,
Don't ever do that again. I don't mean to be harsh, but I don't want another letter from Professor Slughorn or an additional complaint from the Lestranges. The detentions you received were justly deserved, and you'd best have served them well. I hope it teaches you not to light anybodies robes on fire again. It's unseemly.
Yours,
Father
December 8, 1968
Dear Daddy,
You don't understand, he practically goaded me to do it! He keeps writing me these awful poems and 'I love you!' notes and sending them to me in the post at all hours of the day and night! He even throws them at me in class! And I asked him not to, and I warned him what would happen, but he didn't leave me alone! So I pretty much had to do it, or I would risk being labeled all bark and no bite.
If his family is complaining, send them a Howler or something about his awful poetry and how he keeps annoying me during class! It's almost creepy!
Love,
Bella
December 11, 1968
Bel,
Just wanted to let you know the Ridgeback is hatched, and yet again, I managed a female. I think I'm getting the hang of this incubation temperature thing. It's really kind of easy once you know what you're doing.
Less than two weeks 'till I see you! I can't waaiiittt!
Cissa
PS- Find out what Lucius is getting me for my birthday. He won't tell me, and I really want to know. So far I've figured out that it has multiple pieces to it, or at least that's what I think. Ask him!
December 15, 1968
Cissa,
You're crazy. I wish Rodolphus had never gotten me that stupid egg. Where are you keeping those things, anyway? It's winter, so they can't go outside, can they? As babies?
I have no idea what Lucy's gotten you for your birthday. I tried to get it out of him, but he just got more and more smug as I kept talking to him, and then I got fed up, so I stopped asking. You'll know in less than ten days, so have some patience and wait.
Bella
December 17, 1968
Bella,
They sleep in the bed with me. The body heat gives them some comfort, and I keep my fire going all night to keep the room hot enough. I get cold at night too, though, so I don't mind.
What'd you get me for my birthday?
Cissy
PS- FIVE DAYSSSS!!
December 19, 1968
Cissa,
I'm coming home on your birthday, so my gift to you is me. That's the best gift there is, don't you think? I mean, there really is nothing better.
I'll be home in three days. Tell Siri and Reggy.
Bella